Exploring the efficiencies of using competitive tenders over fixed price grants to protect biodiversity in Australian rangelands

Windle, Jill; Rolfe, John

doi:10.1016/j.landusepol.2007.09.005

Cited by 46 publications

(20 citation statements)

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“…But both are inimical to the goal of generating multifunctional rural landscapes in which agricultural production and biodiversity protection are integrated (Holmes 2006) and (ideally) mutually beneficial. The destruction of associated multi-value and conservation landscape elements also poses a major threat to broad-scale habitat connectivity initiatives, particularly those dependent on market-based protection or set-aside schemes (e.g., Windle and Rolfe 2008;Cooke and Moon 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1a), national parks, wildlife refuges, bogs, wetlands, and significant roadside vegetation. Areas withdrawn from agricultural production under the US Conservation Reserve Program (Morefield et al 2016) or similar set-aside schemes (e.g., Van Buskirk and Willi 2004), and through grants, tenders, or other market-based instruments (Windle and Rolfe 2008;Cooke and Moon 2015) fall into this category.…”

Section: A Multifunctional Rural Landscape Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Why non-native grasses pose a critical emerging threat to biodiversity conservation, habitat connectivity and agricultural production in multifunctional rural landscapes

et al. 2017

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Context Landscape-scale conservation planning is key to the protection of biodiversity globally. Central to this approach is the development of multifunctional rural landscapes (MRLs) that maintain the viability of natural ecosystems and promote animal and plant dispersal alongside agricultural land uses. Objectives We investigate evidence that non-native grasses (NNGs) in rangelands and other low-intensity agricultural systems pose a critical threat to landscape conservation initiatives in MRLs both in Australia and globally.Methods We first establish a simple socio-ecological model that classifies different rural landscape elements within typical MRLs based on their joint conservation and agro-economic value. We then quantify the impacts of eight Australian NNGs (Andropogon gayanus, Cenchrus ciliaris, Eragrostis curvula, Hyparrhenia hirta, Nassella neesiana, Nassella trichotoma, Phalaris aquatica and Urochloa mutica) on different landscape elements and then classify and describe the socio-ecological transformations that result at the MRL scale. Results Our data indicate that two broad classes of NNGs exist. The first reduces both conservation and agro-economic value ('co-degrading' species) of invaded landscapes, while the second improves agroeconomic value at the expense of conservation value ('trade-off' species). Crucially, however, both classes cause hardening of the landscape matrix, agricultural intensification, reduced habitat connectivity, and the loss of multi-value land use types that are vital for landscape conservation. Conclusions NNGs drive socio-ecological transformations that pose a growing threat to landscape-scale connectivity and conservation initiatives in Australia and globally. There is an urgent need for further research into the impacts of NNGs on habitat connectivity and biodiversity within multifunctional landscapes, and the socio-ecological goals that can be achieved when landscape transformation and degradation by these species is unavoidable.Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: A Multifunctional Rural Landscape Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why non-native grasses pose a critical emerging threat to biodiversity conservation, habitat connectivity and agricultural production in multifunctional rural landscapes

et al. 2017

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“…In the second place, a policy based on auctions of payments per hectare would be more effective than awarding fixed amount per hectare, in view of the large differences in the compensation required by farms to join the program (LataczLohmann & Van der Hamsvoort, 1997;Schilizzi & Latacz-Lohmann, 2007). This would maximize the effectiveness of this agri-environmental policy measure, either in terms of a larger number of hectares for a given amount of financial resources or lower financial costs for a given amount of farmland (Windle & Rolfe, 2008). Finally, we must indicate that this research has been approached from a supply perspective, insofar as we only analyse the compensation needs of farms that decide to adopt an agri-environmental scheme that improves eco-efficiency.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the impact of agri-environmental schemes on the eco-efficiency of rain-fed agriculture

Beltrán-Esteve

Gómez‐Limón

Picazo‐Tadeo

2012

Span. j. agric. res.

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This paper analyses the impact of the Agri-environmental Extensification Scheme for the Protection of Flora and Fauna (F&F Scheme) on the eco-efficiency of a sample of dryland farms in the Spanish region of Castile and Leon. Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and the so-called program decomposition approach to efficiency measurement, we explore whether or not the production technology of the farms included in the F&F Scheme is more ecoefficient than the technology used by farms that are not included in the Scheme. The results obtained confirm the foregoing hypothesis, providing evidence that environmental pressures could be reduced if all farms adopted the F&F Scheme technology. Furthermore, shadow prices are used to assess the monetary value of the potential reduction in environmental pressures that farms could achieve by adopting the F&F Scheme. The results show that the average opportunity cost of the decrease in environmental pressures (€55.65 ha -1 ) is similar to the compensation received by farms included in the F&F Scheme. Nevertheless, bearing in mind the great diversity of farms, we recommend agricultural policymakers to use an auction system to award such environmental contracts.Additional key words: data envelopment analysis (DEA); economic-ecological efficiency; shadow prices; agrienvironmental policy; Spain. ResumenValoración del impacto de los programas agroambientales sobre la eco-eficiencia de la agricultura de secano Este artículo analiza el impacto del Programa Agroambiental de Extensificación para la Protección de la Flora y Fauna (F&F Scheme) sobre la eco-eficiencia de una muestra de explotaciones agrarias de secano de Castilla León. Utilizando técnicas de Análisis de la Envolvente de Datos (DEA) y la aproximación a la medición de la eficiencia conocida como descomposición por programas, se estudia si la tecnología de producción de las explotaciones que adoptan el programa agroambiental es más eco-eficiente que la tecnología utilizada por aquellas explotaciones que no están acogidas al mismo. Los resultados obtenidos confirman esta hipótesis, evidenciando la posibilidad de reducir las presiones ambientales si todas las explotaciones adoptaran la tecnología del programa agroambiental. Asimismo, se utilizan los precios sombra de las presiones para obtener un valor monetario de la reducción potencial que podría alcanzarse adoptando la tecnología F&F. Los resultados muestran que, en promedio, el coste de oportunidad de reducir las presiones (55,65 € ha -1 ) es similar a la compensación que reciben las explotaciones por participar en el Programa

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“…This highlights the presence of increasing returns to scale, whereby the costs of tender implementation are believed to decline as tenders are more widely used, due to improved administrative efficiency and 'learning by doing' by the agency (Schilizzi and Latacz-Lohmann 2012). As experience and familiarity builds within agencies, it is thought that transaction costs will greatly decrease, allowing their cost-effectiveness advantages over flat rate subsidy schemes to be fully realised (Windle and Rolfe 2008). However, recent experience in Australia suggests that the development of this experience may be severely challenged, primarily by a lack of political will and the funding opportunities required for the continued implementation of these policy mechanisms.…”

Section: Increase Funding For Both Individual Tenders and Groups Of Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

Learning from agri-environment schemes in Australia: Investing in biodiversity and other ecosystem services on farms

Ansell¹,

Gibson²,

Salt³

2016

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Exploring the efficiencies of using competitive tenders over fixed price grants to protect biodiversity in Australian rangelands

Cited by 46 publications

References 18 publications

Why non-native grasses pose a critical emerging threat to biodiversity conservation, habitat connectivity and agricultural production in multifunctional rural landscapes

Why non-native grasses pose a critical emerging threat to biodiversity conservation, habitat connectivity and agricultural production in multifunctional rural landscapes

Assessing the impact of agri-environmental schemes on the eco-efficiency of rain-fed agriculture

Learning from agri-environment schemes in Australia: Investing in biodiversity and other ecosystem services on farms

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